Tom Vilsack Withdraws As Presidential Candidate

DES MOINES, IA -- Former DGA Chair and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack today announced that he is ending his presidential campaign, citing money -- the so-called "invisible primary" -- as the only reason for getting out of the race.

According to Vilsack:

"I am a very luck guy, blessed in love, family, friends, job, and by this campaign.

"I have the boldest plan to get us out of Iraq and a long-term policy for energy security to keep us out of future oil wars. Our campaign has built the strongest organization here in Iowa, with almost 3,000 supporters among Democratic caucus goers. We are organizationally positioned to win the caucuses in January 2008. We have everything to win the nomination and general election.

"Everything except money."

Media-expensive states that have moved, or are considering moving their primaries or caucuses to early February 2008 include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah.

Vilsack, a native of Pittsburgh and successful two-term governor of Iowa, vowed to continue fighting for bold changes in America's international and domestic policies:

"I am leaving one campaign, but I am not saying goodbye. I will continue to fight for the outsiders and underdogs who are the backbone of the Democratic Party and our country. And I will continue to fight to end the war, achieve energy security and get our country back on track. So stay tuned. The best is yet to come."

Vilsack, who said that he will not be endorsing any presidential candidate at this time, urged his fellow Democrats to keep the presidential campaign positive and to spend time campaigning in small communities and living rooms across America.

"Retail political events in coffee shops, living rooms and small towns are sometimes dismissed by insiders as relics of the past, but they are wrong. It's critically important to our party and our country that our candidates spend the time and energy visiting the small towns and communities that make America great. And let us focus on the dreams that unite us rather than be distracted by the differences of opinion that sometimes separate us."

As a presidential candidate, Vilsack was the first to announce his candidacy, the first to oppose the Bush-McCain Doctrine of escalating the war in Iraq and the first to demand that Congress use its spending power under the Constitution to bring U.S. fighting to an end in Iraq.

Today, Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post wrote:

"As for the ideas primary, Vilsack continues to issue the most detailed policy proposals of anyone in the Democratic field; the latest example was a comprehensive energy plan. ... [W]e're intrigued by the kind of campaign he is running."

Last week, the San Francisco Chronicle called Vilsack's energy-security plan "the most wide-ranging and detailed energy policy of any of almost two dozen 2008 presidential hopefuls, Democratic or Republican."

Also last week, the Washington Post reported that Tom "has the most gripping personal story -- he was orphaned and grew up in an abusive family -- of any Democratic candidate."

Tom Vilsack was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1950. He never knew his birth parents. Shortly after his birth, he was handed over to nuns in a Catholic orphanage in Pittsburgh, where he stayed until he was adopted. Vilsack was raised in a loving but troubled home. His parents, who successfully triumphed over their problems, have served as a lifelong inspiration.

Vilsack married his college sweetheart, the former Christie Bell, and moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa - Christie's hometown -- in the 1975. In the past 19 years, Vilsack served successfully as mayor, state senator and governor.